POLL: Should Mark Munoz Retire After First Round Loss To Gegard Mousasi?

Last night’s UFC Fight Night 41 was another bump in the road for veteran Mark Munoz; ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ once again looked out of sorts, unable to offer any offense to Gegard Mousasi as he was choked out in the opening stanza. The loss is the third in his last four, and also the third time that Munoz has been finished in the last two years.

Formerly known for his aggressive style and heavy hitting, it looks like ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ may be lumbered with the moniker of gatekeeper at this rate. This is a far cry from the hungry wrestler who was once pegged by many for title glory in the UFC. Until his fight with Chris Weidman in 2012, Munoz was 7-2 for the UFC and riding a four-fight win streak.

Perhaps time is starting to catch up with the Filipino stand out, or maybe he just doesn’t have the will to compete at such a high level any more. Whatever the case, one question is on the lips of a lot of fans right now; should Mark Munoz retire? So what do you say, one more roll of the dice or should ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ shut down shop?

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

You writers are something else….. You act like he's went down hill. Munoz was never well rounded and managed to do well against lower level guys. He simply never had the skill set to compete against the divisions best

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Rory-Kernaghan/ Rory Kernaghan

Munoz has wins over demian maia, CB Dollaway, tim boetsch and now he is at the first two fight losing streak in his career. Until weidman he was 12-2 as a pro, so you tell me; has he gone down hill?

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Enjoylife321/ enjoylife321

+1

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

12-2 as a pro means nothing if it's lower level guys, it depends on who he's fought and Maia is only impressive win in my opinion and he managed that because maia is not a striker. Munoz is not a good striker, never has been and he's losing because of elite guys he's facing

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Rory-Kernaghan/ Rory Kernaghan

if 12-2 as a pro means nothing, why was he even in the UFC in the first place? The guy was legit back in his earlier years. he has clearly gone down hill, and there are no easy pro fights dude. Who does he need? Anderson and fedor/gsp? he has the fourth highest striking average accuracy of all active middleweights. you need to go back and watch some fights then tell me he can't strike broseph

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

Nope again you are wrong. Records are not a true indicator of talent as much as who a fighter had faced and how he performed against top level guys. Munoz is not well rounded early on he was head kick knocked out vs hammill and made big strides since but my point is Munoz is not much different physically or showed much decline as a fighter to attribute to his downside. The guy was outclassed by Weidman, Machida and mousasi… All of who are in prime or close to prime in careers and all 3 have been considered 1 or 2 in respective weight classes…. Too early to say Munoz has declined when he's fought guys that's are simply on another level.

Saying he should consider retiring is premature….

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

+2

http://lowkickmma.com/members/D/ D

Demian Maia, CB Dollaway, and Tim Boetch all have something in common.

They are excellent grapplers/wrestlers who lack striking skills. Munoz was able to beat those guys by simply keeping the fight on the feet and overpowering/outstriking them there.

At one time, that was enought to beat all but the top 1 or 2 guys in the middleweight division…Now there are several guys who can both defend Munoz takedowns and pick him apart on the feet (Machida, Mousasi and Weidman, and probably Rockhold, Jacare and Vitor as well)

It's not that he has gone downhill. It's just that the talent level in the middleweight division has exploded in the last couple years, while Munoz has not made any major improvements.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/NCapone/ NCapone

its not about its 2 losses… its about how he lost. He got absolutely dominated and out classed. For someone who looked ready to fight and in shape you would think he would put on some kind of performance. It was one of the least entertaining main events ive seen in a while. It might not be time to retire, but hes def not deserving to be fighting in the UFC after that

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Ksooner76/ ksooner76

Damn come on Mark might of became the gate keeper of the 185 division but
damn that is a crazy stacked division and to lose 2 out of the last 10! fights in this division now if he was losing to unranked guys ok maybe the guy is missing a step but that is no where near the case,… he lose to the CHAMP, the former champ,.. and to a international badass that was champ in pride, strike force, and was in top 5 bellator didnt get his shot for title before he left,..so yea
he should roll the dice

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Dropkickmurphy/ dropkickmurphy

At this level of the sport it is so dangerous. If you cannot compete for a title than what is the point? It maybe a bad time for Munoz with 185 being so stacked. He is by all reports an excellent coach, in the long run he is going to make much more money at it doing what he loves. If you can't get the title, and you have other options..retire.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Griffin/ griffin

he really should. first of all he isnt even exciting and second hes 36 and not getting a title shot. hes got a great coaching gig at reign thats his future

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

Here's my 2 cents..

Munoz has a choice to make… its either retire and coach or reinvent himself (meaning switch to a more striking based camp, or one that at least has ELITE striking coaching and sparring partners (AKA, ATT, Blackzillians… name one! but i feel AKA would be the best place to go for him).

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

You don't think Munoz has been working on his striking? Most idiotic thing I've read all day. Hey Munoz just reinvent yourself and practice striking. That's some deep advice. Go back to taking pics of yourself lifting weights playboy

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

Listen punk, it's not my fault your boy toy forgot to tongue fuck your anus this morning, so you can take your tough boy attitude and stick it deep up your ass for comfort.

Munoz works on his striking BUT NOT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE you dumb fuck. He trains at a wrestling based camp! Clearly his striking is not improving. He has power but unless he takes you down and is on top of you he has no confidence whatsoever. The only fighters he's had success with on the feet are the ones that were intimidated by him and were scared to be taken down.

He needs to be with a team that has ELITE strikers that beat his ass up every day and put him through hell. So when he gets into the octagon he's fearless and knows how to deal with his opponents offence.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

Are you documenting your fantasies like your shrink asked you to do? Ass play huh? I could tell you were probably into that, bottom boy.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

You lost me when you said he needs to work on his striking dumbass

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

Ok, you just keep think his striking is great junior. Are you even old enough to watch? Just stick to the Ninja Turtles ok.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

Man you're stupid. I said it's evident he's put a lot of work in his striking but he's no where near the level of upper half of division. That's not going to change much either at this point. Again, you're so dumb it doesn't matter.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

How the fuck is it gonna change if he doesn't switch up his training? Are you really that ignorant? You're making absolutely no sense whatsoever…

http://lowkickmma.com/members/Watermelon-Fresh/ watermelon fresh

Just when I think you can't say anything more absurd you exceed expectations. Munoz has trained with Anderson Silva, Wandy Silva, Machida and blackhouse ….Look it up dumbass. Training camps have never been an issue. My point proven AGAIN. Training partners and camp have never been an issue. The fact is Munoz can't hang with elite MW's.

You have to be the dumbest poster on here – Congratulations, you finally took 1st place in something.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

Sigh… let me teach you a quick lesson young buck..

Training a couple of weeks with those guys is NOT the same as having FULL camps for an extended period of time at one of the Elite striking based camps, annoying little boy.

It's evident you don't know shit about fighting or the training required to acquire substantial level of skill.

Training with the GOAT, might benefit you. You'll pick up some nice techniques but without a strong striking base, you won't be able to apply those in a fight cause you're not confident enough to pull them off.

On top of that, Blackhouse is not the best camp to to become an elite striker unless you're a decorated striker already and looking to polish up and become a well-rounded mixed martial artist.

If you're not a great striker already, you're better off at AKA or ATT. For example: Kevin "King" Casey… great BJJ… HORRIBLE striker! How long has he been with Blackhouse MMA? …. exactly… 100000 years, so please give me a fucking break with Munoz having trained with so and so at Blackhouse… clearly it didn't do a flying fuck for him.

It's like having no driving license, sitting in a race car with Michael Schumacher and him trying to teach you some advanced shit. That shit is not gonna benefit you unless you learn to DRIVE FIRST! Munoz doesn't know how to drive! His striking SUCKS, all he has is power in his hands and an elite striker is not gonna be intimidated by that. That's why both Lyoto and Mousasi dominated his ass with ease.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/UnderdogGreatness/ UnderdogGreatness

At this point, Munoz is nothing more than a gatekeeper. Would I retire if I were him? absolutely. Is he going to retire? Well, we'll have to wait and see what happens. He might become a good wrestling coach after all.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/SoiWANNABEafighter/ soiWANNABEafighter

If you Mr.UnderdogGreatness were a gatekeeper in the biggest mma organisation in the world you would not retire! And I don't know anyone who would.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/TheXperience/ TheXperience

Yes sir… gatekeepers still get paid well for doing what they love to do.

http://lowkickmma.com/members/D/ D

If I was Munoz friend…I would encourage him to retire. He owns a gym with some top level guys, so he does not need to fight to make money, and the reality is that there are 6-8 guys who are better than him at 185. That number is only going to grow as more young talented guys move up through the ranks. He's been through some tough injuries, and at 36, barring PEDs, he's very unlikely to make a drastic improvement to get himself back into the top 5 and title contention.

He can certainly make some more money as a "gatekeeper" but it's probably not worth the damage he will take in doing so. He would be better served to build his Reign Training Center brand and walk away with better health.